Prayers for our dog

BR, we and our two black dogs (plus white dog and siamese cat) are thinking of you and your Pepper. Your vet is very wise to do a consult with Auburn.

I'm a bit angry that we haven't heard back from the Auburn oncologist yet. If I don't hear anything by noon tomorrow, I'm gonna drive down there and do some whomp a$$.

Auburn took care of our Weimaraner in 2005 when she had bacterial endocarditis from a kidney infection. They did everything they could, but she kept throwing clots from the valve and having seizures. After 3 weeks they said there was no hope. We had to put her down.

Sister had two golden retrievers with cancerous fatty tumors. She drove them from Atlanta to Auburn for surgery and frequent chemotherapy. She says she'd never do that again for a dog because it cost a fortune, put the dogs through misery and pain, and only extended their lives by a few months.

I am just hoping that, thanks to googling the Internet and clueing in the vet, I caught the toe cancer early enough that it hasn't spread. The biopsy said "clean margins," and I've been told that's a good thing. I just pray that the severe amputation (P1-P2-P3 when only P3 was recommended) got it all.

BR, I'm sending good thoughts and prayers for Pepper. I'm honored to have met Pepper after the SoWal soiree in April. What a happy bouncing teasing poodle!

Still thinking of you and your fur-baby...

Apparently the type of melanoma that Pepper has (nail bed) is malignant and very aggressive. The oncologist at Auburn said that even though I diagnosed it early and the margins are clean, we might want to consider the cancer vaccine for canine melanoma. It costs $2000 for the vaccine itself. The woman who runs the standard poodle cancer registry sent me an email last night and recommended the vaccine. Squamous cell carcinoma would have been good news in comparison to melanoma.

Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes.

I know this news is scary even though the path report of the tumor removal itself was encouraging, and her x-rays are clear. The melanoma vaccine sounds very promising - are there any downsides to it? If this vaccine is as successful as it sounds, maybe more dogs can avoid having to endure the awfulchemo and radiation treatments, which has never seemed to be truly successful in the cases I have seen. Go Pepper!

I know this news is scary even though the path report of the tumor removal itself was encouraging, and her x-rays are clear. The melanoma vaccine sounds very promising - are there any downsides to it? If this vaccine is as successful as it sounds, maybe more dogs can avoid having to endure the awfulchemo and radiation treatments, which has never seemed to be truly successful in the cases I have seen. Go Pepper!

I've googled and saw a 2003 study done at Sloan-Kettering. Nine dogs with advanced melanoma were given four biweekly injections of human tyrosinase DNA vaccine that was constructed at MSKCC's Gene Transfer and Somatic Cell Engineering Facility. The dogs were injected with the vaccine using the Biojector-2000, a needle-less delivery device. They showed no side effects or toxicities with only a mild inflammatory reaction observed at the injection site. Two showed no evidence of disease when they were checked after completion of the vaccine regimen. Four dogs survived for over 400 days with the longest survivor still alive after more than 615 days. The median survival was 389 days.

Note this study is from dogs with advanced melanoma. Pepper's report said early melanoma.

I also saw another website where someone said her dog had just finished the four injections. The only side effect was dry mouth.

One thing I've learned is that the melanocytes of black dogs have to produce more melanin because of the black pigment. So maybe since these cells are more active, these cells are more likely to experience uncontrolled growth which is what melanoma is?

Oh, and after the 4 injections, if a dog taking the vaccine is lucky enough to live that long, there will be $500 injections every 6 months. These can only be administered by an oncologist because the drug is so experimental, it doesn't have a name yet. Thank goodness Auburn is an easy drive with no Atlanta traffic to deal with. When our Weim was there for three weeks, we visited her every day because the vet said it might help her recover.

Thanks for your, and everyone else's, concern.

I know this news is scary even though the path report of the tumor removal itself was encouraging, and her x-rays are clear. The melanoma vaccine sounds very promising - are there any downsides to it? If this vaccine is as successful as it sounds, maybe more dogs can avoid having to endure the awfulchemo and radiation treatments, which has never seemed to be truly successful in the cases I have seen. Go Pepper!

Go Pepper! should be the theme of the month!!

BR, you are such a wonderful mom! The vaccine does sound promising and my thoughts and prayers are with you. Sending lots of love your way, Cork

BR, Pepper is lucky to have you. Hope the vaccine, the early detection, and lots of love gives you the best results possible.

Pepper has learned how to open the front door here! This morning she saw someone walking down our street towards Highway 30A. She went to the front door, pushed down the lever handle, and went out the door barking. I resisted the urge to chase her (they say dogs will go the opposite direction if you do that), and I said ?Come here, good girl.? When she finally came to me, I grabbed her collar. I was pretty nauseated for a couple of hours just thinking of what could have happened (as in, road kill on Highway 30A).

So now we have to be really careful to make sure we lock her crate when we leave and that we put the pet gate at the front door. She is so smart that she knows when we are about to leave, she gets in her crate, and sometimes we forget to lock it. We have to be make sure we lock it now.

BTW here is our latest advice from the standard poodle cancer registry after her seeing Pepper's pathlogy report. "EXCELLENT report!!!!! You couldn`t ask for a better outcome. I am very confident Pepper will live a long and healthy life. I don't think from that report that the vaccine is warranted."

The vet says that UGA and Auburn recommended once a month melanoma checks.

Thanks for the prayers, y'all. I do believe in the power of prayer.

Wonderful news! I am so happy for you.

Excellent!

Pepper got groomed today. They had to shave her down. Apparently the anesthesia from surgery causes the hair to thin, resulting in matted hair. I have been brushing her, but couldn't get the mats out. Not her usual beautiful self.

Here's three-toes' footprints in the sand last weekend.

Aww, BR, I'm sure she's still beautiful. My little poodle has been mistaken for a Bichon lately so you know she needs groomed!!! LOL

I hear ya.

Those 3 toe prints look adorable!

Here's three-toes' footprints in the sand last weekend.

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/leona_lewis/footprints_in_the_sand.html

"Footprints in the Sand" by Leona Lewis

I hope your sweet Pepper is giving you lots of kisses! I just read this thread today. Prayer works wonders! Griff has Cancer as well. She has had two tumors removed and her right eye had a growth covering it for few weeks. The Dr. thought it might be the Cancer spreading but we prayed, and gave her lots of love and a few weeks later the growth was gone! She had her diagnosis about a year ago and she has been doing fine since then, until the scare with the bite last week; it made me wonder if the reaction to the bite was more severe because of her Cancer.

I love the pawprints in the sand! I hope she has many years ahead of her!

I hope your sweet Pepper is giving you lots of kisses! I just read this thread today. Prayer works wonders! Griff has Cancer as well. She has had two tumors removed and her right eye had a growth covering it for few weeks. The Dr. thought it might be the Cancer spreading but we prayed, and gave her lots of love and a few weeks later the growth was gone! She had her diagnosis about a year ago and she has been doing fine since then, until the scare with the bite last week; it made me wonder if the reaction to the bite was more severe because of her Cancer.

I love the pawprints in the sand! I hope she has many years ahead of her!

Oh, so sorry about Griff. Prayers --> Griff.

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/leona_lewis/footprints_in_the_sand.html

"Footprints in the Sand" by Leona Lewis

How sweet!

Those 3 toe prints look adorable!

I think so, too.

Thank you all.

Boring -- it's a core class -- Excel with financial applications.

I re-did my style of teaching to accommodate a particular students' needs (the student didn't do well in lecture classes). The class average went up from 74 last fall semester to 94 summer term. I have had similar successes in my classes this fall by changing my teaching style. It is very gratifying.

I re-did my style of teaching to accommodate a particular students' needs (the student didn't do well in lecture classes). The class average went up from 74 last fall semester to 94 summer term. I have had similar successes in my classes this fall by changing my teaching style. It is very gratifying.

You should conduct in-service training to teach teachers you new method. Those numbers are impressive.

I, too, love the three-toed prints, and bet Pepper was very happy to be at the beach.

You should conduct in-service training to teach teachers you new method. Those numbers are impressive.

I, too, love the three-toed prints, and bet Pepper was very happy to be at the beach.

Maybe so.

Pepper loves the beach. She loves to run around on the long leash. She expects everyone walking by to tell her how pretty she is. If they don't, she gets mad and does her "mad bark" at them.

It doesn't sound like 3 toes is slowing her down one little bit!
I'm getting a giggle thinking about people walking on the beach and "discovering" a new type of critter with 3 toes....